Mentioning Ming Xiu, Cheng Chang Xing's resolute face held a touch of gentleness.
"Don't worry, even for Ming Xiu's sake, I will live well," Cheng Chang Xing said.
Ming Yu nodded. She had been afraid that Cheng Chang Xing would give up a chance to escape due to his loyalty. Now, it seemed she didn't need to worry.
"It's almost time, I have to go. Take care!" Ming Yu said.
Cheng Chang Xing nodded, "You be safe too."
"Don't worry, I'm fine."
After speaking, Ming Yu turned and left. She arrived at the exit of the rockery, where Shen Lan was still waiting. Seeing her emerge, he seemed relieved. "You should go back by yourself. It's too conspicuous if we walk together."
Ming Yu nodded. "Alright."
She walked towards her room. Back in her room, she finally breathed a sigh of relief, realizing she hadn't been discovered. In the following days, she was exceptionally cautious, while also making preparations to escape.
"Miss Ming Yu, everything you asked for is here. However, it doesn't seem to have much connection with what Lord Shen asked me to get," Shen Lan said, looking at the clothes and dry rations in the bundle, even finding poison powder. He couldn't understand what she needed these things for.
"Of course, it's to help your master steal the Imperial Seal," Ming Yu said.
Shen Lan frowned slightly, but thankfully, he wasn't one to pry. Ming Yu breathed a sigh of relief.
On this day, a distinguished guest arrived at the palace. Ming Yu knew her opportunity to escape had come.
The palace was under strict guard at all times. Although she was Shen Yun Xuan's personal maid, she was also informed that she was not allowed to roam freely in the front courtyard.
And she didn't want to anyway. She had asked Shen Lan to take something to Cheng Chang Xing. She wasn't afraid that Shen Lan would peek; it didn't matter if he did. The bundle only contained clothes and dry rations, nothing else.
However, Ming Yu knew that the moment Cheng Chang Xing saw those clothes, he would understand that she was planning to escape.
Finally, as midnight struck, she knew that Shen Yun Xuan had moved most of the palace guards to the front hall. This showed how much importance Shen Yun Xuan placed on the visitor. But this also provided her with the opportunity to escape.
As midnight arrived, she put on her veil, left her room, and followed her memory to Shen Yun Xuan's study courtyard.
Shen Yun Xuan had set up his study in the Imperial Study. Otherwise, she truly wouldn't have known how to rescue Cheng Chang Xing.
Arriving at the rockery, she remembered how Shen Lan had opened it. She pressed a protruding stone, the rockery moved aside, and a hole appeared before her. She walked in.
"Chang Xing," she called out.
"I'm here," Cheng Chang Xing's voice came from within.
Ming Yu arrived at the prison door and took out a dagger from her waist. She slashed a few times, and the chains broke. Cheng Chang Xing walked out.
"How is your body? Are you injured?" Ming Yu asked.
Cheng Chang Xing said, "No. Shen Yun Xuan didn't come to interrogate me."
"Let's go!" Ming Yu said.
Cheng Chang Xing nodded and followed Ming Yu out of the rockery. She reached the back door and used the dagger to pry open the lock. As she closed the door, she realized her back was already drenched in sweat.
She turned to Cheng Chang Xing and asked, "Where is he?"
Cheng Chang Xing said, "Let's leave here first."
Ming Yu nodded, and the two of them walked until dawn before stopping.
Finding an inn, they requested two rooms. As Ming Yu lay on the inn bed, she finally felt truly relieved. She was free.
However, escaping the Cloud Palace had been much simpler than she had imagined. This was something she had never expected.
She thought that wanted posters for her and Cheng Chang Xing would appear soon, but by evening, there were still no wanted posters, which made her a little strange. However, considering there was a distinguished guest at the palace, even if they knew she had escaped, they wouldn't publicly search for her to save face.
After dinner, she went to Cheng Chang Xing's room. She knocked on the door but received no answer. She pushed the door open and saw that the quilt on the bed was neatly arranged, indicating that no one had slept there.
Ming Yu was startled. She walked forward, just as she was thinking of checking if Cheng Chang Xing had left a note, when a voice came from behind her, "Miss Ming?"
Ming Yu turned around. The person behind her was Cheng Chang Xing. "What is this..."
Cheng Chang Xing said, "I went to gather information. There's no news of us being wanted in the palace yet."
Ming Yu nodded.
Cheng Chang Xing said, "I've already sent a message to the master via carrier pigeon. I expect the master will meet us soon."
"That's wonderful. Ming Xiu will be very happy to see you," Ming Yu said. She hadn't seen her sister in a long time either, and wondered if Ming Xiu would cry when she saw her.
Cheng Chang Xing paused slightly, then just smiled.
"So, we'll wait here for a few days?" Ming Yu asked.
Cheng Chang Xing nodded. "It's still safe here for now, but I can't guarantee if there are people from the palace outside."
Ming Yu nodded. Cheng Chang Xing's analysis was correct. "Alright, you should rest these few days too. Are your injuries almost healed?"
"Don't worry about me," Cheng Chang Xing said.
Ming Yu bid farewell to Cheng Chang Xing and returned to her room. For some reason, she always felt that Cheng Chang Xing was a little off, though she couldn't pinpoint where.
Suddenly, she remembered. It seemed that when Ming Xiu was mentioned, Cheng Chang Xing appeared somewhat indifferent. One would think that Cheng Chang Xing treasured Ming Xiu immensely, so how could he not care?
Unless... a cold sweat broke out on her. Unless this person wasn't Cheng Chang Xing.
Then, where was the real Cheng Chang Xing?
At midnight, she quietly got up and went to Cheng Chang Xing's room to knock. There was no answer. She pushed the door open and, by the moonlight filtering through the window, saw that the bed was still as neat as when she had left. It was clear that Cheng Chang Xing had left after she had.
She quickly got out of her room, grabbed her belongings, and jumped out the window.
She didn't leave but returned to the back gate of the palace. Amidst a patch of weeds, she found a hole, something she had discovered by chance.
Entering the Cloud Palace, she stealthily sneaked into Shen Yun Xuan's study and climbed onto the eaves. She heard voices coming from the study.
"She didn't suspect anything?" The voice speaking was Shen Yun Xuan's.
"My lord, rest assured, she did not suspect anything."
Ming Yu removed a roof tile, wanting to get a clearer look at the person impersonating Cheng Chang Xing. Suddenly, her hand slipped, and the tile made a noise.
"Who?" Shen Yun Xuan called out coldly.
Ming Yu quickly leaped down from the eaves, attempting to escape. But footsteps were already approaching from not far away. Just then, a hand grabbed her arm, and Lian pulled her behind the rockery.
As she was about to speak, a low voice came from behind her, "Be quiet."
She was slightly startled. This voice sounded familiar.